Grizzlies drop another in Sacto

The presentation was excellent. The crystal clear HD picture in 106 inches and 5.1 surround sound was stirring.

But everything about the game was terrible. The Grizzlies didn't look like a team.

Stromile Swift tries to be aggressive. His effort is there. He doesn't st but it appears that he just doesn't have the ability to get the job done on offense or defense.

Rudy Gay, who is hasn't yet won any votes for Rookie of the Year, showed some athleticism on defense, but looked to pass first on offense.

Mike Miller proved again that he can shoot the three.

The three most effective players all play the same positions. Chucky Atkins, Damon Stoudemire, and Kyle Lowry all made solid contribution, though not consistently throughout the game.

This frustrated me because a historic problem with the Grizzlies is that they have opted for several above average contributors rather than a few excellent players. Teams that have been successful have a strong starting five that include 2-3 players that can create their own shot and 2-3 strong contributors off the bench.

The Grizzlies have 12 players who are talented enough to play in the NBA but can't excel enough to lead a team. They should trade many for a few. They don't need three point guards. They don't need Miller, D Jones, and E Jones at shooting guard. They don't need Brian Cardinal and Jake to contribute 10-15 minutes a game.

There are many good players who can contribute that time. They should trade a combination of these players to acquire players who can contribute at a high level every night.

Too bad they can't trade anyone until the pending sale is resolved. Shortly after that, Jerry West will step down according to ESPN. Though Jerry West has made solid contributions to this club and should have his number retired for giving life to this franchise, I can't help but think 'fresh eyes' may help the Grizz. (No one could have done so much with so little in such a short time.)

For example why not trade Eddie Jones, Chucky Atkins, and Mike Miller for Paul Pierce or another proven star on a struggling club? The Celtics would never go for that specific trade, but multiple teams can help the Grizzlies get a lot done, and their players have a lot of appeal. Atkins is probably at the peak of his game, and Jones is in the last year of a huge contract.

Finally, what was Fratello thinking when he took Atkins out of the game? This directly demonstrates my point that the Grizzlies have too many players that warrant playing time. (Still, let the man play when he makes 10 of eleven shots.)

You can't create a cohesive team when no one can create a shot and the line-up is a revolving door.